McNay Art Museum

zing to work with - very responsive and helpful!

ing!! Monica and her staff are AMAZING. If you haven’t been here, run. Don’t walk. And then get married here!!

. All my vendors were able to move the ceremony inside into the McNay auditorium and then flip the room into a reception space afterwards. It is an ideal space for a large guest count- as we had over 400 attendants. Also, it is easy to make your own vision in the space. It looks completely different depending on the couple and the color schemes.

anized , flexible, professional and knowledgeable about everything regarding the McNay! She keeps Her clients informed of things in their contract and keeps all involved on schedule! There are “No surprises” when you select this venue for wedding or reception! She has a great working relationship with the vendors selected which was great! She keeps the Bride/Groom on point! It’s a beautiful places on its on but everyone there was helpful, professional and wanted out Day to be Amazinh!The McNay was so beautiful the day of wedding! Monica you are Amazing!! Thank you for making our wedding planning stress free and our wedding memorable not only for us but for our guest!! You are a true asset to McNay Art Museum! Ericka & Misael De Leon

fect for our 220-person reception with band. Our McNay coordinator, Monica, was very helpful in explaining everything and setting expectations, as well as working with vendors for site visits. They were understandably strict when it came to time for loading and start time. But beyond that, everything was perfect--we couldn't have imagined a better venue for our reception.

would be plenty of complaining but I never heard a thing from anyone - it was a miracle! Considering I had to plan my entire wedding from Dallas, Monica had recommendations and reassured me everything was going to be okay every time she heard the stress in my voice. The McNay is a San Antonio landmark and an experience your guest will never forget - the beauty in the building itself is enough... you can't go wrong.

ure while retaining the elegance of a semi-formal wedding. The McNay was absolutely perfect. The traditional Spanish design and colorful talavera tiles accompanied with the world class art and large reception space facilitated the "elegant fiesta" that we wanted. Monica at the McNay was a gem and very honestly and informatively helped us coordinate our vision. As with any wedding, there will be unforeseen costs outside of the sticker price - nice lighting, AV, rentals, etc., are not included but the overall venue expenses were well worth the experience. If I were to do it all over again, I would still have my reception at the McNay.

it was the venue coordinator Monica. She is so easy to work with and is very easy to get in touch with during the entire wedding process. I felt she went above and beyond to make sure our wedding would be perfect. Another thing I loved about this venue is that the other lighting services are provided through the venue. There is no outside looking for lighting, gobos, etc. They are accommodating and provided exactly what we envisioned. It is a bit on the pricey side, but it was beyond worth it. Thank you to all the staff and especially Monica for creating the reception of our dreams!!!

he next year of planning, we would be in capable and supportive hands. She communicated with us continuously throughout the process and alleviated the stress of planning this important event. We could not have asked for a more perfect evening. Of course, the venue was stunning from the moment we walked through the lush grounds to enter the impressive mansion. And then to be able to offer guests the opportunity to view masterpieces from the world's most significant artists--what a privilege. McNay Art Museum is the ideal wedding venue--the total package!

truly upsetting. Overall, we absolutely loved our wedding and the McNay is the perfect setting. We received so many compliments on the venue from start to finish. My favorite thing was that this venue needed little to no additional decor because it is already stunning on its own. The architecture, art, grounds, and facilities are just lovely. We had 220 guests and everyone fit comfortably inside the Leeper for our reception and accommodated a good-sized dance floor. The main things to note: there are a lot of rules regarding the McNay and many are inflexible (ceremony/rehearsal times due to guests on the grounds or normal opening hours), no flame candles in the Leeper Auditorium-- must all be LED, we had a miscommunication about lighting outdoors for the ceremony by the fountain, we ended up choosing no additional lighting because the only viable option presented to us would have put us $1,000 over budget, so I wish that part would have been more clearly communicated on the front end. Also, vendors work on a tight timeline with setup and whatnot based on museum policies. However, Monica (from the McNay) was very responsive, helpful and buttoned up with her details. She kept our file and invoices up to date, sent reminders and information and options which helped us a ton. I should also mention that our wedding coordinator has done many weddings at the McNay and has a close working relationship with Monica--I think this familiarity with the venue and trust from Monica helped our wedding to go off without a hitch. I am very grateful for that! The last thing I'll note is that while the McNay has a list of approved caterers, a pleasant surprise we learned of was that (to my knowledge) they don't charge their caterers a commission fee that gets passed onto the client. My husband and I found this out when working with a venue downtown and were upset because they failed to disclose the massive commission fees on food and alcohol that we were going to have to pay for...when we were required to use their caterer! We went back to the caterer and asked what venues in SA don't charge them commission and they said the McNay...voila, we went on a tour and knew we wouldn't want to get married anywhere else! Very very happy with our wedding and would certainly recommend.

nator, Monica, was more helpful than I could have ever imagined. We had our heart set on having our ceremony in the Blackburn Patio (the outdoor courtyard in the middle of the museum), even though this isn't typically where ceremonies take place. Monica helped make our dream a reality and provided layouts, photos, and her expertise to all of our vendors to be sure everything was perfect. She also helped us choose uplighting and gobos for the auditorium for our reception, and in the end it looked incredible. On our big day many of our guests told me it was the best wedding they've ever been to, and I'm still getting emails and texts about how incredible the McNay was. It was truly our dream wedding, and I know a big reason for it's success was Monica's help! She guided us through the entire process and always had an answer for my seemingly endless questions within an hour or two, and was always kind and enthusiastic. We truly felt like she cared about making our wedding day perfect, and it definitely showed in the end. I can't recommend the McNay highly enough!

hands down the best decision we could have made. From the breathtaking venue itself to its staff, like Monica, it was more than we could have imagined. To this day, more than 6 months after our wedding, our guests are still talking about what a beautiful venue this was. It's definitely an experience, and something you and your guests will always remember. Thank you to everyone involved in making our day so special!

nator, Monica, was more helpful than I could have ever imagined. We had our heart set on having our ceremony in the Blackburn Patio (the outdoor courtyard in the middle of the museum), even though this isn't typically where ceremonies take place. Monica helped make our dream a reality and provided layouts, photos, and her expertise to all of our vendors to be sure everything was perfect. She also helped us choose uplighting and gobos for the auditorium for our reception, and in the end it looked incredible. On our big day many of our guests told me it was the best wedding they've ever been to, and I'm still getting emails and texts about how incredible the McNay was. It was truly our dream wedding, and I know a big reason for it's success was Monica's help! She guided us through the entire process and always had an answer for my seemingly endless questions within an hour or two, and was always kind and enthusiastic. We truly felt like she cared about making our wedding day perfect, and it definitely showed in the end. I can't recommend the McNay highly enough!

g prior. Monica assured us though that the color scheme for our reception would look exactly like the photos. Also, be aware that you will be charged per table and per chair (if you choose to go with the tables and chairs they have on site). Everything at the museum is a la carte (uplighting, pin lighting, tables, chairs, projector, etc). For our send off, they're very limited in what we could use due to strict museum policies. Also, they end promptly at midnight, so be sure to plan accordingly. Our DJ had to cut off right at that time and cost us our last dance. Despite all the constraints, I would highly recommend the McNay if it is within your budget. My wife and I were able to get beautiful pictures with our favorite pieces in the exhibit, throughout the grounds and in the auditorium.

tour some of the galleries) to the octagon room for the bar and miscellaneous table set ups, and finally to the auditorium for the reception. All of the guests were so in awe of the beauty the McNay offered. It was a seamless night. This is a museum so they are a bit strict with certain things, so as long as you have an open mind in knowing that, then you are good to go!

ul and extremely helpful. She is so organized always responded quickly to all my emails and phone calls. She made sure I had all the necessary information about their preferred vendor list, which made the search a lot easier. She even made me a diagram of the furniture setup inside the Leeper (reception site) and I was able to give it to all my vendors. Whatever question or request I had, Monica always followed through. It was worth every penny to have my wedding here. Beautiful facility with excellent service from Monica.

as all aspects of the reception planning. I booked pretty far in advance, so would definitely recommend doing so if you're interested in the venue. I will note that a lot of items are not included in the rental price, including lighting, table and chair rentals, insurance and SAPD (if having alcohol). Good news is you can bring in your own alcohol which is a great way to save money. Also, wonderful way to utilize indoor and outdoor space, having our cocktail hour on the patio and reception inside. All of our guests loved the venue and I've never received so many compliments!

familiar with its gorgeous grounds and historic beauty. When my Big Day finally came around, I went straight to the McNay to book them for the wedding of my dreams! There are so many perks to this venue: the extensive and well manicured grounds, the gorgeousness and historic quality of the exterior of the museum, the absolutely beautiful outdoor patio space for cocktail hour, the fact that you can provide your own alcohol (what a $$ saver!) and the fact that some galleries are open for guest viewing during cocktail hour! Our guests raved about what a gorgeous setting the McNay is for a wedding reception. They are easy to work with and very accommodating, allowing me to have multiple site visits with my wedding planner in plan everything to the last detail! Also, their lighting director, John, is an absolute genius! He can truly do anything you want with the Leeper Auditorium - for us, he created a beautiful amber glow with fade into red (for behind the band area) and also hung multiple Spanish lanterns from the ceiling over the head table! It was so magical! All in all, I would definitely recommend the McNay to any bride who wants a truly gorgeous and historic wedding venue that will wow her guests!

nus: It is the most beautiful place.

can only seat 250 there was plenty of room if more guests had come. I would definitely recommend using a day of coordinator if you choose this venue because all vendors have to be outsourced. Our wedding was absolutely gorgeous and everyone really enjoyed the art exhibits that are on display for the cocktail hour.

lowers and linens. And the event coordinator at the McNay is so easy to work with. They do have several rules/conditions, but none of them were deal breakers by any means. So many of our guests commented on how beautiful the wedding and reception were and that they were happy they got to experience that section of the McNay as they'd never had the opportunity before.

nderful to work with. She was responsive to emails and phone calls and she was able to help me coordinate the lighting (which was gorgeous!!) and the chairs without any issues. Everyone at the wedding loved the courtyard and the auditorium. If you book this venue I suggest that you add lighting to the package, it really made a difference.

hting (which was beautiful) was a separate cost, and their list of preferred vendors was short. Elise, the coordinator was great. The lighting tech ran a little behind, but was done in time. That being said, the venue was perfect, and I am still receiving compliments. Truly a dream wedding venue.

ot. Families took pictures, our photog took pictures, it worked out great.

venues. I would recommend this venue to anyone in the San Antonio area!

p; went above and beyond the call of duty to answer questions and make special arrangements for us (we were probably more picky than most clients). Everything was perfect, we could nto have been more pleased with this venue. Our 11/19/11 wedding will be featured on the San Antonio Weddings website - check that feature for photos of the McNay in all its glory.

elped us in making the experience a lot easier. It's a bit costly but it was well worth the memories.

staff was efficient the night of and even the security guards were friendly. It was picture perfect.

no decorating since it is filled with greenery, a pond, and art. The Leeper was everything I wanted...dark hardwood floors, long curtains and beautiful lighting. Overall, I loved having my wedding at the McNay. It was classy, elegant and artsy!

Leeper was a great space. Having access to the art museum was a great bonus for art lovers. There were several restrictions, though. No candles are allowed indoors (we used flameless ones). You could only use the McNay's one lighting person, which was definitely more expensive (we ended up not using any fancy lighting even though I wanted uplighting and a gobo due to the price...there is a dinner lighting setting and a darker setting for dance we used for free). No drinks are allowed in the gallery area, so when people were looking around during cocktail hour, they could not bring in their drinks. Also, because of the water restrictions (in May), the fountain had to be shut off, which means we had to shift the ceremony location....something to keep in mind. But overall, this was a great place to wed. I would recommend it even though it may be pricier than some venues.

in which is a phenomenal outdoor location. The auditorium can really transform into whatever look you want.

nning your event. You do have to select one of the caterers from their approved list and must use their lighting vendor, but we were happy with both. Side Notes: Do not have a separate room to have someone watch kids (if you are looking for that).

is very professional and remained that way throughout the entire event.

canvas for any style of wedding. The perfect backdrop for wedding photos! But be aware: as it is a working art museum, security and event insurance must be taken into consideration. The staff at the McNay have facilitated many weddings and are very good at walking you through what needs to get done.

any sculptures.